Rose plant--Maribell variety

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Hybrid Tea rose plant is provided which abundantly forms attractive biocolored double flowers which are primarily deep red on the inside and white with red shadings which intensify uniformly towards the margins of the petals on the outside. Such flowers are long lasting and comprise petals which detach cleanly. The plant exhibits an upright growth, forms semivigorous vegetation, and is well suited for greenhouse forcing for cut flower production. Additionally, the plant is not particularly susceptible to diseases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Hybrid Tea rose plant was created by artificialpollination wherein two parents were crossed which previously had beenstudied in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parents (i.e., seed parent) of the newvariety resulted from the crossing of the SEA PEARL variety with theZORINA variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,321). The SEA PEARL varietysometimes is known as the FLOWER GIRL variety. The male parent (i.e.,the pollen parent) was the LOVITA variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,598).The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows:

    (SEA PEARL×ZORINA)×LOVITA.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and 153 smallplantlets were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found through careful study that the new variety of the presentinvention can be characterized by the following combination ofcharacteristics:

(a) from a physical point of view it forms bronze green mature wood,assumes an upright growth habit, and forms attractive biocolored doubleflowers having consistent petals which are primarily deep red on theinside and white with red shadings which intensify uniformly towards themargins of the petals on the outside, and

(b) from the biological point of view it forms semivigorous vegetation,produces flowers in abundance, exhibits the ability readily to beforced, is not particularly susceptible to diseases, and forms longlasting flowers comprising petals which detach cleanly.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry andis particularly well suited for the production of long-lasting cutflowers.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation and can bereadily reproduced by bud grafting. The characteristics of the newvariety have been found to be strictly transmissible by such asexualpropagation from one generation to another.

The new variety has been named the MARIBELL variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in a color illustration of this charactertypical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety. The rose plantsof the new variety were grown under glass at Hyeres, France.

The single photograph shows from top to bottom the coloration of agrowing tip and new growth; the upper surface of mature leaves having 3,5 and 7 leaflets; the under surface of a mature leaf having 5 leaflets;mature stems stripped of leaves to depict the thorns; obverse andreverse views of flowers during the early and mid-opening stages; budsin the early and mid-opening expansion stages; a spent bloom with thesepals and stamens removed; and a spent bloom with sepals and stamensretained to clearly depict foliaceous appendages on the sepals and thearrangement of the stamens and pistils.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart). The description is based onthe observation of plants grown under glass at Heres, France. Thecoloration in common terms sometimes also is provided.

Class: Hybrid tea.

Commercial class: Garden and greenhouse, cut flower.

Plant:

Height.--Plants which were pruned to a height of 85 cm. produce floralstems having a length of approximately 40 to 60 cm.

Habit.--Upright.

Branches:

Color.--Young shoots: when approximately 20 cm. long, exhibit a stronganthocyanin coloration having a purple hue. Mature wood: bronze green.

Thorns.--Configuration: concave on upper surface and deep concave onlower surface. Color: On young shoots: Greyed-Purple Group 183B. Onmature wood: Greyed-Orange Group 166A and 166B. On floral stems:Greyed-Red Group 181A. Quantity: very few which are 5 mm. or less inlength, and an average number which are greater than 5 mm. in length.

Leaflets.--Number: commonly 3, 5, and 7. Shape: oval as illustrated,substantially flat with a weak margin undulation. Serration: present.Texture: Consistent smooth. Color: Leaflets on young shoots: dark green,Yellow-Green Group 147A on the upper surface, and purple, Greyed-PurpleGroup 183B, on the under surface. Leaflets on mature wood: Green Group137C on the upper surface, and Yellow-Green Group 147B and 147C on theunder surface. Leaflets on floral stems: Yellow-Green Group 147A onupper surface, and Yellow-Green Group 147C on the under surface. Leafletstems on young shoots: Greyed-Purple Group 187A and 187B when shoots areapproximately 20 cm. in length. Leaflet stems on mature wood:Yellow-Green Group 146B and 146C. Leaflet stems on floral stems:Yellow-Green Group 146B with bronze coloration, Greyed-Purple Group183A. General appearance: glossiness on the upper surface of theleaflets is either absent or very weak. Terminal leaflets: commonlyrange in length from approximately 54 to 96 mm. with a mean length of 69mm. and a standard deviation of 11 mm.; commonly range in width fromapproximately 39 to 63 mm. with a mean width of 48 mm. and a standarddeviation of 6 mm.; commonly exhibit a petiole length of approximately15 to 26 mm. with a standard deviation of 3 mm.; have a obtuse base; andare borne on petioles of medium length.

Inflorescence:

Number of flowers.--Generally one per stem when forced in a greenhouse.

Peduncle.--Few hairs or prickles are present.

Sepals.--Configuration: very long with medium to long extensions.

Buds.--Shape: ovate in longitudinal section just before the opening ofthe sepals.

Flower.--Time: average time for beginning of flowering. Shape: double,irregularly rounded with viewed from above, a generally flattened convexupper surface when viewed from the side, and a generally convex undersurface when viewed from the side. Diameter: commonly approximately 8.5to 12 cm. with a mean diameter of 10.5 cm. and a standard deviation of 1cm. Petal number: commonly 25 to 33 with an average of approximately 28.Petal size (second row from outside): commonly range in length fromapproximately 48 to 53 mm. with a mean length of 50 mm. and a standarddeviation of 2 mm.; and commonly range in width from 46 to 51 mm. with amean width of 48 mm. and a standard deviation of 2 mm. Petal shape: thefirst 2 to 3 well-developed outermost petals tend to be of a very broadobovate configuration and may be removed and discarded, the marginspossess average reflexing, the margin undulation is weak, and include ayellowish unguis on both surfaces. Petal color: the middle and marginalzones of the inner side are deep red, near Red Group 46A, withoccasional white flecks or short white striations, and finish after sixdays to near Red Group 53D; the outer side is substantially white withred shadings which intensify uniformly toward the margins of the petals,near Red Group 46A; a small spot of Yellow Group 4D is present on theinner side, and small spot of Yellow Group 2D is present on the outerside which finishes near white. Petal number: commonly approximately 25to 33, and an average of 28. Petal drop: good and the petals drop offcleanly. Sepals: Color of upper surface: Yellow-Green Group 146B and146C with Yellow-Green Group 147A on sepal extensions. Color on undersurface: Yellow-Green Group 146B with Yellow-Green Group 147A and 147Bon sepal extensions. Sepal extensions: vary in size from small to largeand lack stipitate glands; occur irregularly along sepal margins andterminals; terminal appendages may be foliaceous and greatly extend thelength and width of the sepals from which they arise. Fragrance: absentor very weak. Lasting Quality: long. Stamens: number approximately 160on average and are regularly arranged around the pistils. Filaments:medium in length, most possess anthers, and the predominant colorationis yellow/white, Yellow Group 8B, 8C, 8D. Anthers: medium in size; tendto all open at approximately the same time; and the immature colorationis Yellow Group 8A. Pollen: very few pollen grains are formed and theseare nearly white in coloration with a yellowish tint. Pistils: commonlyapproximately 93 on average. Stigmas: generally of approximately thesame height as the anthers pale yellow, Yellow Group 10D. Styles: shortin length and generally positioned just above the mouth of thereceptacle, predominantly pink to purple in coloration, Red Purple Group61C and with a strong concentration of pubescence on the upper one-half.Receptacle: medium in size, and in longitudinal section, it is in theshape of a pitcher. Hips: very few hips remain on the plant, commonlyaverage approximately 20 mm., and are pitcher-shaped in configuration.Seeds: approximately 4 to 6 in number with an average of 5; medium insize; and commonly of an irregular configuration.

Development:

Vegetation.--Semi-vigorous when the plant is grown under greenhouseconditions and is pruned to a height of 85 cm. floral stems are formedhaving lengths of approximately 40 to 90 cm. with the mean length beingapproximately 70 cm.

Blooming.--Very abundant and nearly continuous.

Resistance to forcing.--Excellent.

Resistance to diseases.--Good.

It should be emphasized that the plants of the variety described hereinwere grown under glass for cut flower production. Generally one flowerper stem is formed under forced greenhouse conditions. However,sometimes the first axillary eye below the terminal flower developes andmay yield up to three flowers per stem. When the new variety is grownoutside, multiple flowers per stem commonly are formed in a regularrounded cluster of approximately 3 to 13 blossoms, with the averagenumber of blossoms being approximately 7 per stem.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of hybrid tea rose plantcharacterized by the following combination of characteristics:(a) from aphysical point of view forms bronze green mature wood, assumes anupright growth habit, and forms attractive double flowers havingconsistent petals which are primarily deep on the inside and white withred shadings which intensify uniformly towards the margins of the petalson the outside, and (b) from the biological point of view formssemivigorous vegetation, produces flowers in abundance, exhibits theability readily to be forced, is not particularly susceptible todiseases, and forms long lasting flowers comprising petals which detachcleanly;substantially as herein shown and described.